Help my Focus handle

[AllCarFan]

I am not 'unhappy' with either. However, i am sure that both could be better. You are right, until I can get a good measurement on the sway bars and figure out the spring rates, it is liike shooting in the dark.

That all being said, for now, I will do my reasearch on my current parts and put the car on a big diet. If I drop a few hundred pounds, these questions may no longer apply.

Thanks so far to everyone's input.

[rambleon84]

Originally Posted by AllCarFan

Where is the best spot to look up some lightweight 17" wheels. I dont think I can go smaller than that and clear my brembos.

tirerack.com is one of the easier ones to find weight and other specs but there are other resources out there as well.

Some of the lighter wheels that I like the looks of:
Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 (12 spoke) 17x7 17.3lbs
Team Dynamics Pro Race 3 (5 spoke) 17x7 18lbs
O.Z. Leggenda (11 spoke) 17x7 17.4lbs
O.Z.Ultraleggera (12 spoke) 17x7 16lbs

tirerack sells the oz's and there is a group buy on fj for the td's.

[mac.mogul]

It sounds to me like you have a decent set up as it is. From here I would say to go with poly bushings all around, maybe a stiffer lower motor mount, adjustable camber/alignment hardware (An alignment can make a huge difference in handling) Lose some extra weight on the car. A CF hood isn't really going to help you much, but ditching the backseat and relocating the battery will make a huge difference. They key is to have as much weight as possible below the highest point of the suspension and have as much of the existing weight as possible placed inside of the wheelbase.

Lighter wheels will help a little, but its not worth the expense if you like the wheels you have. Tires are tricky because you can't really test them out before you buy. It sounds to me like you still want the car to be comfortable so a high response, stiff sidewall tire may not be the best choice for you. You can get grippy tires with a softer sidewall for comfort, but you sacrifice responsiveness and a poor responding tire can make the best suspension setup go to waste.

Adding in:
At the age of your car, I would recommend replacing bushings in the steering rack if they have not been replaced yet. The OE bushings are made of a generic kind of rubber and deform/disintegrate over time. This will improve steering feel and responsiveness and I think responsiveness is key for what you're wanting.

[Mr.Bergner]

Was just going to jump in and +1 the poly bushings. I had a very similar setup as you when I did mine and it surprised me how much difference they made!

[AllCarFan]

where should I be replacing the poly bushings? My sway bars have them. I assume the control arm bushings can be replaced? what else?

[AllCarFan]

GUys, my mind was made up for me the other evening. I still intend on putting the car on a diet. As I went to the Tokico website to research some product for my business, there was a link for "70% off select items." Low and behold, their D-Spec/HTS adjustable shocks and struts were marked down from $968 to $318....for a 2005 Focus. These are the same ones that C-F-M sells for $759. Total with shipping was $346. I just could not pass up that deal!

[Buickboy]

tires and a solid alignment will yield the best improvements IMO. I had those struts paired with a set of sportlines and even those werent a great combo. Im sure theyll be fine with less of a drop/ better spring rate, I was trying to band-aid a shitty spring choice. nice find on that price for sure

[AllCarFan]

what springs would you suggest?